THE BIG BLUE
US/France, 1988, 119 minutes, Colour.
Rosanna Arquette, Jean Marc Barr, Jean Reno.
Directed by Luc Besson.
The Big Blue was an enormous commercial success in France. Not so elsewhere. Perhaps it appealed to French sensibility. It was written and directed by Luc Besson, director of The Last Combat and the very successful offbeat Subway. He went on to make the beautiful undersea documentary, Atlantis. He went international with The Fifth Element.
The film is about two boys, friends who grow up to be star deep-sea divers and rivals. The film traces the career of each, focusing especially on Jean- Marc Barr as the Frenchman who is at home in the water, seemingly having an affinity with dolphins.
There is a great deal of very attractive underwater photography. The film also has American stars Rosanna Arquette, as well as Paul Shenar and Griffin Dunne in small roles.
There is also a version running closer to three hours.
1.Interesting adventure? Fable?
2.The variety of locations: Greece, Sicily, the French Riviera, South America? The musical score? The use of wide screen? Underwater photography?
3.The black and white prologue: the two boys, at home in Greece, their ability in diving, bonds and friendship, the death? Their being watched over by the Greek priest?
4.Enzo growing up, his hopes, search for the Frenchman, eventually finding him, their relationship, competitiveness, the interactions, hostility, the competition and their diving, Enzo and his death?
5.Jacques, seeing him in South America, his ability to dive and control his breathing, the rescue, testing equipment? Johanna and her arrival, admiration for him? His life on the Riviera, with the dolphins, at home in the water? Sicily, the competition, his style, friendship with Enzo, their rivalry? Falling in love with Johanna, the relationship with her? The diving, the dolphins? The death of Enzo? In his room, on the bed, the water coming from the roof? His decision to go back for the dolphins, going underwater and leaving everything behind? Realism/surrealism?
6.Johanna, her work, in South America, the difficulties, Dr Lawrence? Attracted towards Jacques? Back in New York, relationship with Duffy? Permission to go to Europe? Tracking down Jacques, her relationship with him, the experiences, the delight, the lyrical sequences? The competitiveness? Enzo's death? The end and his leaving her?
7.Dr Lawrence, the experiments in South America, the testing of equipment?
8.Duffy as the ordinary American, relationship with Johanna?
9.The competition, the officials, the supervising of the dives? The dangers? Decisions to call off the competition or not?
10.Water, the fascination, the diving, the controlling of breath, the deaths, marine life, dolphins? The big blue?
